Chronicle

Three teenage boys in a Seattle suburb gain the powers of telekinesis and super strength after encountering a mysterious alien life force, but instead of using these gifts to fight crime, they direct them against familiar teen problems like loneliness and abusive parents. As pulp sci-fi this Fox release is pretty good, but it's also commendable for its sensitive depiction of adolescent behavior: even the bullying scenes avoid the caricature of most studio films. The story takes the form of one boy's video diary, and though the fake DIY aesthetic is used more imaginatively here than in Cloverfield (2008), it still feels like a gimmick. Josh Trank directed a script by Max Landis (son of director John Landis).
ByBen Sachs